


Has it Ever Occurred to You?

by orphan_account



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-01
Updated: 2011-12-01
Packaged: 2017-10-26 17:56:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He can't help it. He wants them to know, but the price he pays is too high.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Has it Ever Occurred to You?

"I love you."

Stacey looks at him skeptically and then giggles.

"Did you know your ears go pink when you're embarrassed?" she asks as she snatches his milk carton. "And no, you can't hold hands with me anymore, _I'm_ holding hands with Peter from now on. He doesn't cry when he falls down."

He can't help it, and starts to cry. Soon there's a crowd of boys around him pointing and laughing.

Stacey's on the other side of the playground, and Peter's kissing her cheek. But he doesn't look happy about it.

The pointing turns to shoving and Martin sniffles.

* * *

"I love you."

"Erm, Martin, you know that blokes don't say that to other blokes, right?" Peter shifts away and stares out at the railroad tracks. Above them on the embankment, cars zoom past.

"But..." Martin tries to protest. The taste of Peter's tongue still in his mouth, his trousers sticky.

"What? Look, Martin, I know you're not that experienced an' all that, but..."

"Oh..."

"Yeah. Look, I gotta go. See you later, okay? Maybe round the pub?"

"Yeah." Martin tries not to cry while Peter's still looking, but the tears insist on welling up and spilling down his cheeks.

* * *

"But I love you!"

"Martin, those are sweet. For me?" Jenny frowns at the flowers Martin has thrust at her. "We're late, and you promised you wouldn't keep me waiting!"

"I'm sorry, I just… I had to study for my instrument rating and, I lost track of time."

"Oh, never mind, Mummy doesn't like you, anyway."

"Jenny, I wanted to say…"

"Forget it. Being a pilot's obviously much more important than your girlfriend…"

"Let me make it up to you. Please. Because… I really do love you."

"I know, Martin. So you keep saying. But it isn't enough, is it?"

* * *

"I love you." Martin bends down to kiss the wrinkled cheek and is swatted for his efforts.

"Nasty boy. Spending all your da's money like that!"

"Gran, it's my money, I've been saving. Would you like a chocolate?"

"You're a failure. Your mam won't tell you, so I will. Stop pretending to be summat you ain't."

Martin stumbles away as quickly as he is able. Simon, leaning in the doorframe, shoves himself away and smirks.

"So, how did it go, then? Asking for that loan?" he asks.

"I wasn't asking for a loan," Martin huffs. "I love her."

"Yeah, Martin."

* * *

"I love you."

Peter rolls away and snores.

"I know I'm not supposed to tell you that," Martin whispers. "But I do."

He knows the rules, knows what he's supposed to say and not supposed to say and do. Knows that really, Peter's doing him a favor, letting him get off, get fucked.

But it's _Peter_. He's known Peter since they were in Reception, and, he's the closest thing Martin's ever had to a… friend, he guesses.

Martin gathers up his clothes, he can't find his other sock as Peter rolls over and blinks.

"You still here?" he asks him.

* * *

"I love you."

It's gasped out, breathless, and quickly before Martin can think twice. But then Douglas shifts and, damn, he's been awake the whole time. Martin stiffens, wishes that they weren't trapped together in the hotel.

"What did you say?" Douglas asks him, rolling over in the darkness. Martin feels the heat from him, radiating, strong, powerful. The familiar senses of shame and dread flood through him.

"I… nothing."

"No, you said something. What did you say?" Douglas reaches across Martin and flicks on the bedside light. Martin flinches in the sudden brightness.

"Oh, none of that, my lad." Douglas gently lays his palm on Martin's chest and forces him back onto his back. "Now, what did you say?"

The room still smells of sweat and sex. Martin's still sticky, but he doesn't care, because he had felt safe, and if not loved, then at least cared for – Douglas always is so careful, and generous, and … and maybe that's the reason why he's said anything at all. Stupid. So stupid.

"Martin…" Douglas puts two fingers under Martin's chin and gently forces it up. Martin meets his eyes. Chocolaty brown, and… tender?

"I said," Martin can feel the tears starting to form. His ears feel like they are watering, a sure sign he's about to embarrass himself horribly, if he hasn't already, moaning Douglas' name as he writhed underneath him, but it was so good, and he was falling, falling, his orgasm welling up. "I said I love you."

He squeezes his eyes shut, and the tears _do_ start to track down his cheeks. He holds his breath, waiting for the ridicule, the Douglas Richardson patented put down.

What he hears is silence.

He opens one eye.

And then another.

Douglas is smiling at him. Gently.

"I know, you daft boy," he says, leaning down to kiss the tears off of Martin's cheeks. "I've known that for a very" – kiss – "very" – kiss "long time."

"And you're not…" Martin gives a shuddering sigh, and the tears are still flowing, he can't stop them. It's so embarrassing – men don't say that. They don't…

"Not what?" Douglas asks, bending his mouth to Martin's neck. "Angry? Embarrassed? Annoyed?"

"Hnngh, well… guh, Douglas! Yeah…"

"Daft boy," Douglas mutters again, his lips and tongue finding that spot between Martin's jaw and neck that makes him moan. "Of course I'm not. Not any of those things."

"You're…"

"Captain," Douglas says sharply, pulling away. "Has it ever occurred to you, after nearly six months of me shagging you rotten just about every night, on almost every continent, and in every time zone, including that gorgeous blow job you gave me in the galley last week, that I might, just possibly, love you, too?"

"You do?"

The look Douglas gives him is nothing short of lascivious.

"Most definitely."

Martin gasps as Douglas' mouth wanders lower.

"Douglas?"

"Yes, Martin?"

"Oh… God… Douglas, would you… could you say it again?"

Douglas chuckles darkly against Martin's stomach.

"Martin, I love you."

**Author's Note:**

> Not mine, no money. Written for this prompt on the Cabin Pressure Prompt Meme: _5 times Martin said "I love you" to someone who didn't, in fact, love him and 1 time he said it to someone who did._ And then expanded and tidied up. OP, I hope you enjoy it!


End file.
